Package for merchandise



Jan; 26, 1943. .1. B. CLAVETTE 2,309,500

. PACKAGE FOR MERCHANDISE Filed March 5, 141` has' W1?.

Patented Jan. 26, 1943 PACKAGE FOR MERCHANDISE John B. Clavette, NorthAttleboro, Mass., assignor to The Mason Box Co mpany, Attleboro Falls,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 5, 1941, SerialNo. 381,829

7 Claims.

This invention pertains to packages for merchandising small elongatearticles, and relates more particularly to a package for phonographneedles or the like. Such needles are customarily sold in small paperpackets or folders, each containing six needles. This packet externallyresembles the ordinary match packet in appearance and construction,commonlyT consistingof a piece of flexible cardboard folded to form ashort front wall and a longer rear wall, said walls being substantiallyparallel and spaced apart to accommodate the needles between them. Therear wall is provided with an integral extension constituting a frontclosure ilap which is normally turned down to cover and protect theneedles and Whose lower edge is snapped behind the upper margin of thefront wall to retain it in closed position. Within the fold which unitesthe front and rear walls is disposed a socket member consisting of apiece of heavy cardboard or the like (corresponding in position to thebutts of the matches in a match packet) the front and rear walls and thesocket member being permanently united, for example, by a staple orother suitable fastening means. The socket member has transverselyspaced sockets extending downwardly from its upper edge in which thebutts of the needles are seated with the points of the needles directedupwardly toward the fold which unites the back to the front closure ap.

For convenience in handling, the packets which are in common use andwhich are recognized by the purchasing public as more or less standardin size, are substantially longer than is really necessary to receivethe needles, and in consequence the tips of the needles are spacedsubstantially from the inner surface of the fold which unites the rearwall and front flap. Ordinarily the sockets are not very deep, forinstance they may be deep enough to receive only one-half the length ofthe needle butt, and as the needle butts do not t tightly in the socketsit is possible for a needle to slide lengthwise (for example, if thepacket be held upside down) so as to escape from its socket and fall outof the packet. A

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of apacket of the class described, but comprising means for preventingaccidental loss of the needles therefrom. A iur-- ther object is toprovide a needle packet having needle-retaining means which is operativeso long as the packet is closed, but which automatically releases theneedles when the packet is opened. A further object is to provide apacket and comprising a portion packet having needle-retaining means butwhich does not substantially differ in external appearance from theusual more or less standard packets to which the trade is accustomed,and which may be made at a cost not unduly exceeding that of the usualpacket.

In the accompanying drawing wherein one desirable embodiment of theinvention is illustrated by way of example,

Fig. l is a iront elevation of a packet embodying the present invention,showing the packet closed;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the packet of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the packet fully opened to expose theneedles;

Fig. 4 is an edge view of the packet with the front flap partly open;and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, to larger scale, substantially on the line5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral i designates the improved packet,such packet comprising a length of thin, stiffly flexible cardboard orother appropriate sheet material of a width corresponding to the desiredwidth of the completed 2 which constitutes the front wall of the packet.rllhe material is scored or bent along'parallel fold lines 3 and 4 toform the bottom wall or fold 5,-the material extending upwardly from thefront line 4 in substantially parallel relation to the iront Wall 2 toform the rear wall 6 which extends to a substantial distance above theupper edge 'l of the front wall. The material is also provided withscores or fold lines 8 and 9 dening the top wall or fold l0 and normallyextends downwardly from the fold line 9 to form the front closure flapIl whose lower edge I2 is normally disposed behind the upper margin ofthe front wall 2 of the packet so as to maintain the closure flap inclosed position. Preferably the material is, as above suggested,somewhat resilient so that when the lower edge l 2 `of the closure flapis disengaged from behind the iront wall 2 the closure ap tends to swingupwardly and forwardly as indicated in Fig. 4, the top wall or fold llithen being inclined upwardly and forwardly from the fold line 8.

Interposed between thev front wall 2 and the lower portion of the rearwall 6 is the socket member I3. This socket member may be a piece ofheavy stiff cardboard or the like and is provided with transverselyspaced sockets I extending downwardly irom its upper edge for thereception of the butt portions l5 of the needles. The socket member I3,the front wall 2, andthe lower portion of the rear wall 6 arepermanently secured together by means of a wire staple I6 or othersuitable fastening means, it being noted that the upper portion ormargin of the front wall 2 is free from the socket member so as toaccommodate the lower edge l2 of the front ilap l I.

In accordance with the present invention there is interposed between thesocket member I3 and the inner surface of the rear wall S a piece l'! ofstiiliy iiexible material, for example cardboard, which may be like thatused to form the outer portions of the packet. This material I'l may beof substantially the same Width as that which forms the front and rearwalls of the packet and is anchored to the socket member by the stapleIS. This member Il extends up and substantially in contact with theinner surface of the rear wall E to a point just above the level of thetips T of the needles where it is provided with a score or fold line I8,the material then extending forwardly to form the needle retainer i9which normally closely overlies the tips T of the needles. The forwardedge of the retainer I9 is defined by another fold line 29 from whichthe material extends upwardly forming the actuator element 2| which isof such length that its upper edge engages the top wall or fold l of thepacket substantially at the fold line 9. The material forming theretainer I9 and the actuator 2l is, as above described, flexiblyresilient so that when the packet is open or partially open, as shown inFig. 4, the retainer I9 tends to assume the upwardly and forwardlyinclined position shown in Fig. 4.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4 or in the fully openposition indicated in Fig. 3, the member i9 is spaced from the tips T ofthe needles so as to oiTer no opposition to the free removal of theneedles from their sockets. On the other hand, when the closure iiap Ilis swung downwardly from the fully open position of Fig. 3 through thepartially closed position of Fig. 4, to the fully closed position ofFigs. 2 and 5, the upper edge 22 of the actuator 2l is caused, byengagement with the inner surface of the top wall or fold I of thepacket, to move downwardly, thus swinging the retainer I9 about thehinge joint at the fold line I8 until the retainer assumes the positionof Figs. 2 and 5, where it is substantially perpendicular to the planeof the rear wall of the packet and closely overlies the tips T of theneedles so that the latter cannot escape from their sockets.

It will be obvious from the'above description that the positioning ofthe retainer in operative relation to the needles, and its removal fromsuch position, is entirely automatic and in response to the operationsinvolved in closing and opening the packet, so that no additionalmanipulation upon the part of the operator is necessary in placing theretainer in position or removing it therefrom than are concerned in themanipulation of the ordinary and stand-ard type 0f packet.

While one desirable embodiment of the 1nvention has herein beenillustrated by way of example, it is to be understood that the inventionis not necessarily limited to this precise embodiment, but is to beregarded as broadly inclusive of any and all equivalent constructionsfalling within the terms of the app-ended claims.

I claim:

1. A packet adapted to contain articles and comprising front and rearwalls, the rear wall extending to a substantial distance above the upperedge of the front wall, a front flap hinged to the upper portion of therear wall and adapted to engage the front wall when the packet isclosed, a member interposed between said front and rear walls and havingsockets in which said articles are removably received, a retainer hingedat one edge and so located and of such dimensions as closely to overlieand thereby to retain said articles in said sockets when the packet isclosed, said retainer being so constructed and arranged that itautomatically swings away from the articles when the packet is opened,and motion transmitting means hinged to the opposite edge of theretainer and operative to transmit motion from said front iiap, as thelatter is being closed, to said retainer, thereby to restore the latterto article-retaining position when the packet is closed.

2. A packet adapted to contain articles and comprising front and rearwalls, the rear wall extending to a substantial distance above the upperedge of the front wall, a front flap hinged to the upper portion of therear wall and adapted to engage the front wall when the packet isclosed, a member interposed between said front and rear walls and havingsockets in which said articles are removably received, and means forretaining said articles in said sockets when the packet is closed, saidretaining means comprising a retainer which is of such dimensions and solocated as closely to overlie the articles when the packet is closed,resilient hinge means supporting said retainer and operativeautomatically to move the latter away from the articles when the packetis opened, and an actuator element hinged at one end to the retainer andwhich moves the retainer into the article overlying position as thepacket is being closed, the opposite end of said actuator element beingarranged for engagement by the front iiap and being constructed andarranged to transmit motion from the latter to the retainer as the ap isclosed.

3. A packet adapted to contain phonograph needles and the like, whichpacket comprises front and rear walls, the rear wall extending to asubstantial distance above the upper edge of the front wall, a frontiiap hinged to the upper portion of the rear wall and adapted to engagethe front wall when the packet is closed, a member interposed betweensaid front and rear walls and having sockets in which the butts of saidneedles are removably received, and means retaining the needles in saidsocket when the packet is closed, said retaining means comprising aretainer which closely overlies the tips of the needles when the packetis closed, said retainer being resiliently hinged about its rear edge sothat it tends to swing upwardly away from the tips of the needles whenthe packet is opened, and an actuator element which engages the frontiiap of the packet and is so constructed and arranged as to transmitmotion from the front iiap to the retainer thereby to move the retainerinto said needle overlying position as the front flap is closed.

4. A packet adapted to contain phonograph needles and the like, whichpacket comprises front and rear Walls, the rear wall extending to asubstantial distance -above the upper edge of the front wall, a frontflap hinged to the upper portion of the rear wall and adapted to engagethe front wall when the packet is closed, a member interposed betweensaid front and rear walls and having sockets in which the butts of saidneedles are removably received, and means retaining the needles in saidsockets when the packet is closed, said retaining means comprising aretainer which closely overlies the tips of the needles when the packetis closed, said rerainer being constructed and arranged automatically tomove away from the needles when the packet is opened, and an actuatorelement for the retainer operative to move the retainer into the needleoverlying position as the packet is being closed.

5. A packet adapted to contain phonograph needles and the like, whichpacket comprises front and rear walls, the rear Wall extending to asubstantial distance above the upper edge of the front wall, a frontflap hinged to the upper ,portion of the rear wall and adapted to engagethe front wall when the packet is closed, a member interposed betweensaid front and rear walls and having sockets in which the butts of saidneedles are removably received, and means retaining the needles in saidsockets when the packet is closed, said retaining means comprising aretainer of such dimensions and so located as closely to overlie thetips of the needles when the packet is closed, said retainer beingconstructed and arranged automatically to move away from the needleswhen the packet is opened, and means operative to transmit motion fromthe front flap to the retainer as the front flap is closed thereby tomove the retainer into said needle overlying position.

6. A packet adapted to contain phonograph needles and the like, whichpacket comprises iront and rear walls, the rear wall extending asubstantial distance above the upper edge of the front wall, a top wallconnected along one edge to the upper edge of the rear wall, a frontflap connected to the other edge of the top wall and adapted to engagethe front wall when the packet is closed, a member interposed betweensaid front and rear walls and having sockets in which the butts of saidneedles are removably received, a retainer which projects forwardly fromthe rear Wall of the packet and closely overlies the tips of the needleswhen the packet is closed, said retainer normally tending to swingupwardly about its rear edge, and an actuator which is united to thefront edge of the retainer and extends upwardly into engagement with thetop wall of the packet and is of such length that the movement of thefront iiap and top wall in closing the packet depresses the actuatorcausing it to move the retainer out of its normal position into theposition overlying the tips of the needles.

v7. A packet adapted to contain phonograph needles and the like, whichpacket comprises front and rear walls, the rear wall extending asubstantial distance above the upper edge of the iront wall, a top wallconnected along one edge to the upper edge of the rear wall, a frontiiap connected to the other edge of the top wall and adapted to engagethe front wall when the packet is closed, a member interposed betweensaid front and rear walls and having sockets in which the butts of saidneedles are removably received, and a piece of stify flexible sheetmaterial interposed between the socket member and the rear wall of thepacket, said stifily flexible piece of material extending upwardly alongthe rear wall to a point slightly above the level of the tips of theneedles in the sockets, said piece of material having a definitetransverse fold line at said point and extending beyond said fold lineto form a retainer of a Width substantially equalling the distancebetween the rear wall and the front flap when the packet is closed, saidpiece of material having a second denite transverse fold line dening theforward edge of said retainer, the piece of material extending beyondsaid second fold line to form an actuator for the retainer, the actuatorbeing of such a length between said second fold line and its free upperedge as to engage the top wall of the packet when the packet is closed,so that the movement of the front iiap and top wall in closing thepacket depresses the actuator causing it to move the retainer downwardlyinto contact with the tips of the need-les when the packet is closed.

JOHN B. CLAVETTE.

